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Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

I have customers coming to us and saying they will not buy from Wal-Mart, Target, Sue-Bee out of concerns there is funny-honey. Our prices have been 10.00 retail and 7.50 wholesale to large scale groceries who buy in bulk.

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Talked to an USA beekeeper friend I have know for over 30 years and who happens to be an past president of the AHPA, he stated that the bulk price had risen to $2.00, BUT RECENTLY DROPPED BACK to 1.95........he runs bees in Montana and he had been up there and said things were ugly.He calls honey harvesting and extracting an rodeo and boy it sure can be that.I sometimes think while in that process of pulling honey and getting the extraction done......this has got to be my last rodeo but it seems I always come back for more......a definition of insanity , doing the same things over and over but expecting different results

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

It really isnt unusual to see the honey price drifting lower this time of year. There are always some folks who are anxious to pay down a little debt and how can you argue with $1.95 in the hand. I did hear one troubling report from a major packer who said that they were getting some price resistance from a major customer who had always specified a domestic produced product (not sure if that includes Canadian or not). According to this report they were willing to price a cheaper imported product if prices get much higher. Yeah I know a lot of negotiating games get played but it is also important to remember that ultimately it is the consumer walking down the grocery aisle that has the biggest say in honey prices.

"People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe."- Andy Rooney

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Allot of this is supply and demand. Some of this is devaluation of the dollar because of our debt. $2.00 per Lb. honey is not unrealistic when you consider 4 or 5 dollar a gallon diesel . The fact is people are getting out of the bee business allot faster than they are getting in. People have to eat so demand is not going away anytime soon.

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

In early May 2012, the U.S honey crop projections were somewhat favorable. Moderate early spring rains were alleviating some of the moisture concerns caused by the very dry winter conditions in many of the prime honey producing regions of the U.S. Then in late May and early June, the rain just seemed to stop in many regions of the country, and intense heat started burning everything up.

Current 2012 U.S. honey crop projections are now for only a slightly better crop than last year's dismal 148 million lb. crop.

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

In early May 2012, the U.S honey crop projections were somewhat favorable. Moderate early spring rains were alleviating some of the moisture concerns caused by the very dry winter conditions in many of the prime honey producing regions of the U.S. Then in late May and early June, the rain just seemed to stop in many regions of the country, and intense heat started burning everything up.

Current 2012 U.S. honey crop projections are now for only a slightly better crop than last year's dismal 148 million lb. crop.

2006 155 million pounds
2007 148 " "
2008 161 " "
2009 146 " "
2010 176 " "
2011 148 " "
I'm not real sure what the folks at Skamberg are expecting from the US crop anymore, the days of 200 million pound crops have been over for quite some time. The US honey crop has averaged only 156 million pounds over the past 6 years. Perhaps last years 176 million pounds was the aberration, if you take that out you arent much over a 150 million pound average, about what they are hinting 2012 might be.

"People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe."- Andy Rooney

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Good point. Five or ten million pounds one way or the other really dosent change the big picture too much. People love to complain about honey imports (and I do to the extent that I expect them to be pure and clean) but isn't it a good thing that the US now has an appetite for over 400 million pounds a year? Just raise a good quality product folks and don't stress about whether the shortage is being filled in by foreign production.

"People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe."- Andy Rooney

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

and I do to the extent that I expect them to be pure and clean)

I think history tells us this not the case, a lot of inferior product imported, blended and sold

that the US now has an appetite for over 400 million pounds a year? the appetite maybe based on large percentage OF INFERIOR PRODUCT
The US producer is finally getting a good price for his premium product, we in canada however are not enjoying the same good prices

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

I think we will see a steady increase in the price. I had a long conversation with the owner of what is stated on their web site as the worlds largest honey processor, which i'll not name you can google , after I was told they were not buying dark honey here in sunny FLA.
Seems all the imports they have been buying are dark, 75 to almost 85 mm and white honey is not to be found . He said he would'nt be suprised to see by years end prices of 2.20 a pound for good light USA honey and there is a huge demand for it . Of course you have to have strong , live hives and a necter source to get that , but it certainly looks stable for the future at least in the next year or two.
I can only hope that the beekeepers of other countries remember where the prices are and don't drive them down if they do get large crops in the future.

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Doesn't that sound familiar! ha ha ha

Originally Posted by irwin harlton

Talked to an USA beekeeper ........he runs bees in Montana and he had been up there and said things were ugly.He calls honey harvesting and extracting an rodeo and boy it sure can be that.I sometimes think while in that process of pulling honey and getting the extraction done......this has got to be my last rodeo but it seems I always come back for more......a definition of insanity , doing the same things over and over but expecting different results

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Honey Update:

November 2012

http://www.skamberg.com/
A worldwide shortage of bees, increased consumer demand, and diminishing forage area for bees to gather nectar have all contributed to a worldwide honey shortage. Price offerings in the world market range from 4% to 12% higher than last year at this time. With the U.S. Customs and the Justice Dept. cracking down on "honey laundering", shipments of fraudulent honey entering the U.S. has slowed. This stopped a lot of the very low priced honey that was entering the U.S. market and has narrowed the gap on the two tiered honey pricing that we have seen for several years. Much depends on each subsequent countries honey crop as it enters the world market, with good crops helping to stabilize prices and poor crops driving prices higher.

Canada - The demand for Canadian honey is at an all time high and their prices reflect U.S. raw honey prices.

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

"Much depends on each subsequent countries honey crop as it enters the world market,"

Buyers are , and have been playing the lower priced Argentina card for quite some time,reportedly future contracts have been bought on this 2013 years production.How much of this crop will be white is the big question?The industrial, bakery trade market is reported as being very competitive, so much so that some players are thinking of withdrawing from it cause there's little profit to be made.Argentina imports are up in Canada from last year.

Re: Bulk honey prices and market outlook

Very dry reports coming from Argentina cropping reports, or the ones I have read anyway. One of the many reason why there is so much soybean production down there. The huge crop potential seems to have been squashed once again. If the cropping reports tells you anything. . . .

BeeMaid suggests the honey market to be climbing from $1.75 /lbs. The suggested the big price discrepancy between US and Canadian honey to be narrowing to normal levels. Positive news in our honey market.